Pilferage inhibiting shipping container



.Dec. 21, 1954 F. RADIN PILFERAGE INHIBITING SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed Aug. 27, 1948 Sheecs-Sheet l Dec. 21, 1954 E. F. RADIN PILFERAGE INHIBITING SHIPPING CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 27, 1 948 Edwin F Edwin F. Radin, Flushing, N. Y

Container Corporation, tion of New York Application August 27, 194$,Serial No. 46,525

(Iiaims. (Cl. 229-23) .assignor to Victory New York, N. Y., .a corpora- This invention relates to collapsible shipping containers made from fibrous material, as cardboards, fibreboards, etc. Such containers presently consist of four joined collapsed walls having flaps at their ends, and the container is erected by separating said walls and folding over the flaps to provide the top and bottom of the container. These containers possess several well known disadvantages, among which is the labor and time required for folding and securing the flaps by the shipper for creating the bottom wall of the container, and the inherent weakness of such wall, which being most subjected to the loads and strains of the contents tends to separate said flaps and cause breakage at its corners, with consequent loss and injury to contents.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved collapsible shipping container which will remedy the aforesaid and other disadvantages, and which will be conveniently and economically manufacturable, saleable at low cost, of enhanced and reinforced strength, and conveniently and economically utilizable.

Another object is to provide an improved collapsible shipping container, which when unfolded for erection will form a unitary flap-less bottom wall having added strength and reinforcement for its corners.

The aforesaid container, embodying four independent closing flaps, is of particular disadvantage and annoyance to the shipper of certain classes of merchandise, as wearables, in that pilferage of some of its contents often occurs in the course of handling and transit of the freight. This is due to the circumstance that the container is sealed with tape, and it renders possible but partial removal of an end tape and thereat reaching the interior of the container by insertion of the hand between the three adjoining closing flaps.

A further object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an improved collapsible shipping container wherewith the aforesaid pilferage will be prevented.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved collapsible shipping container having its adjoining closing flaps dependent with and held to each other, and each end flap thereof so organized that when attempt is made to reach the contents as above described it will intercept the hand and prevent the pilferage.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. i is a plan view of a three-piece fibre blank for therefrom making the collapsible pilferage preventing shipping container constituting the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of making and erecting the container from the blank shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a right hand side elevational view of the container shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the container in partially collapsed state.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the container, as it appears when in fully collapsed condition.

Fig. 6 is a transverse cross-sectional elevational view of the collapsed container shown in Fig. 5, taken on line 6-6 of the latter.

Fig. 7 is a right-hand side elevational view of'the container, showing it as it appears when in erected state and its four flaps in partially closed condition.

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of the container, as it appears when in erected state with its. front flap closed and its rear flap in partially opened condition.

2,697,545 Patented Dec. 21, 1954 Fig. 9 is a plan view of the erected container, when in its closed andsealed condition.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a fibre blank similar to the one shown in Fig. 1, but illustrating a modification of the invention.

The blank 1, Fig. 1, comprises three sheets 1a, 1b,1c, of which the sheet 1a is rectangular and has its median area provided with scorings 2 defining the bottom-wall 3 of the container. Adjacent to the wall 3 the sheet 1a is provided with scorings 4 defining front and rear walls 5 of the container, with a front flap 6 and a rear flap 7 for closing the container. The sheets 1b, 1c are similarly dimensioned, rectangular, and each is provided with a scoring 8 defining the side Walls 9 and side closing flaps 10 of the container. Each of the sheets 1b, 1c is provided with oblique scorings 11 extending from its corners 12 and meeting at an apex 13 on the flap 10, and each flap It) is provided with a transverse scoring 14 extending from the apex 13 to its top margin 10a. From each apex 13 and parallel to the scoring 8 extends a scoring 15 to the front margin 1% of the flap 10. Each of the flaps It? is provided with oblique scorings 16 extending from the termini of the scoring 8 parallel to the scorings 11, and to the top margin 10a. The bottom margin 10c and each of the entire front and rear margins 10b, 10d are provided with marginal tabs 17. The front flap 6 is provided with a scoring 18 which is parallel to the scoring 4 and at a distance from its top margin 6a equal to the distance 3f thleoscoring 15 from the top margin 10a of the side In the erection of the container 19, Figs. 2, 3, from the three-piece blank 1, the front and rear walls 5 with their integral flaps 6, 7 of the sheet in are lifted vertically over the bottom wall 3 along its scorings 2, the side walls 9 with their integral flaps 10 of the sheets 1b, 1c are appropriately positioned with relation to said other walls as shown in Fig. 2, and the tabs 17 are bent against the inner surfaces of the Walls 3, 5 and flaps 6, 7 and are firmly secured thereto as shown by any suitable means, as gluing or the staplings 20 as illustrated, whereupon the container 19 is completed.

In order to collapse the container 19, Fig. 2, to the form shown in Figs. 5, 6, it is preliminarily conditioned for this purpose by withdrawing away from each other its sideflaps 10 with side walls 9, through applying the fingers inwardly at the median places of said flaps, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4. Then the front wall 5 with its flap 6 and triangular side wall with flap portions adjoining thereto bounded by scorings 11, 15, 10b are folded against the bottom wall 3 and side wall portions bounded by scorings 10c, 11, respectively, and then the rear wall 5 with its flap 7 and the side wall areas 11, 10d, 10a, 14 are folded toward the bottom wall 3 and side wall areas 100, 11. In this foldment, the area 18, 6a of the front flap 6 folds forwardly against the remainder of the flap about the scoring 18, and the areas 14, 15, 10a, 10b of the side flaps 10 fold similarly about the scorings 15 against the areas 100, 11, as seen in Figs. 5, 6. Also, in this final and completed collapsement of the container 19, the rear flap 7 contacts with the area 18, 6a of front flap 6 as shown in Fig. 6, while the upper region of each side-flap 10 bends over its scoring 14 and folds up against itself asillustrated.

The collapsed container 19 may be readily and quickly re-erected, by merely uplifting its rear flap 7 and wall 5, then similarly uplifting the front flap 6 with its wall 5 from the bottom wall 3, and then pressing toward each other the upstanding side walls 9 and flaps 10. While the container is in this erected state, the shipper may fill it with its contents and then proceed to close it up by merely pressing its side flaps 10 toward each other at their upper median regions and simultaneously folding downwardly the front and rear closing flaps 6, 7, as illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, 9. In this foldment, the areas 8, 16 of side flaps 16 bend downwardly about the scorings 8, the areas 16, led, 10a and the corresponding triangular areas 16, 10a, 10b bend over backwardly about the scorings 16 and fold against the triangular areas 8, 16, and the front and rear flaps 6,. 7 fold directly against the inner surfaces of the side flap areas I6, 10a, 10a and 16, 10a, 10b. The filled; container may be then sealed by application of a usual adhesive tape 21 to join the meeting ends of the front and rear closing flaps 6, 7, and tapes 22 to join the lateral ends of said flaps to the side walls 9, as shown in Fig. 9. Should pilferage of the contents be attempted thereafter, by loosing an end tape 22 and inserting the hand thereat underneath the closing flaps it will be intercepted by the folded-up triangular areas 8, 16, and 16, 10d, 10a, and 16, 10a, 10b of the side flap 10 and the attempt thwarted.

According to the modification shown in Fig. 10, the three-piece blank 1d is so contrived that a first piece 1e embodies the bottom wall 3 with the side walls 9 and flaps 10 of the container, defined by the scorings 3a, a second piece If embodies the rear wall 5 and flap 7, and a third piece 1g comprises the front wall 5 and flap 6. In the erection of the container from this blank, the tabs 17 are stapled to the walls and flaps 5, 6, 7 as hereinabove, and the walls 5 are secured to the bottom wall 3 by means of tabs 3b of bottom wall 3. blank 1d is similar to the blank 1, Fig. l, and it will be evident that the container resulting from the blank la is similarly collapsed, re-erected, loaded, and closed and sealed for prevention of pilferage.

The container may be supplied to the shipper either in the assembled collapsed condition shown in Figs. 5, 6, or where they are used in very large quantities it may be more practicable to furnish the containers in the blank condition shown in Figs. 1, 10, and the shipper may per- In all other respects the form his own erection in manner illustrated in Fig. 2

secured with the staplings 20, after which he may collapse the containers for storage and future use.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 7

l. A collapsible shipping container formed from a three-piece blank, one of said pieces having a rectangular median portion thereof bordered by scorings to define the bottom wall of the container, said piece having a rectangular portion adjacent the front and the rear edge of said median portion bordered by scorings to define the front and rear walls of the container, said piece having a rectangular portion adjacent said front wall and said rear wall and extending to the margins of the blank to constitute the front and rear closing flaps of the container, the second and third of said pieces being each rectangular and having a scoring to define the side walls and side flaps of the container, each of said second and third pieces having oblique scorings extending from the bottom corners of its side wall to a terminating apex on its flap, each of said side flaps having a scoring extending from said apex to its front margin parallel to its top margin, each of said side fiaps having a scoring extending from said apex perpendicularly to its top margin, the folding of said front and rear walls with their flaps uprightly to said bottom wall and the securing of said side walls and flaps to said front and rear walls and flaps completing the erection of the container, said front flap having a scoring thereacross meeting said parallel scorings, said erected container being collapsible by folding said front and rear walls with their flaps toward said bottom wall and concomitant bending of said side walls along their said scorings, each of said side flaps having oblique scorings extending from its bottom corners to a median location of its top margin, and said erected container being closable by folding said side flaps along their said last mentioned oblique scorings and concomitant folding downwardly of said front and rear flaps.

2. A collapsible shipping container formed from a three-piece blank, one of said pieces having a rectangular median portion thereof bordered by scorings to define the bottom wall of the container, said piece having a rectangular portion adjacent the front and the rear edge of said median portion bordered by scorings to define the front and the rear Walls of the container, said piece having a rectangular portion adjacent said front wall and said rear wall and extending to the margins of the blank to constitute the front and rear closing flaps of the container, the second and third of said pieces being each rectangular and having a scoring to define the side walls and side flaps of the container, each of said second and third pieces having oblique scorings extending from the bottom corners of its side wall and converging on its flap, the folding of said front and rear walls with their flaps uprightly to said bottom wall and the securing of said side walls and flaps to said front and rear walls and flaps completing the erection of the container, said erected container being collapsible byfolding said front and rear walls with their flaps toward said bottom wall and concomitant bending of said side walls along their said scorings, each of said side flaps having oblique scorings extending from its bottom corners to a median location of its top margin, and said erected container being closable by folding of said side flaps along their said last mentioned oblique scorings and concomitant folding downwardly of said front and rear flaps.

3. A collapsible shipping container formed from a three-piece blank, one of said pieces having a rectangular median portion thereof bordered by scorings to define the bottom wall of the container, said piece having adjacent each lateral edge of said median portion and said bottom wall a rectangular portion with a scoring thereon to define the side wall and the side closing flap of the container, the second of said pieces being rectangular and having a scoring to define the rear wall and the rear closing flap of the container, the third of said pieces being rectangular and having a scoring to define the front wall and the front closing flap of the container, each of said side walls having oblique scorings extending from the bottom corners thereof to a terminating apex on its flap, each of said side flaps having a scoring extending from said apex to its front margin and parallel to its top margin, each of said side fiaps having a scoring extending from said apex perpendicularly to its top margin, the folding of said side walls uprightly to said bottom wall and the securing of said front and rear walls with their flaps to said side Walls with their flaps and to said bottom wall completing the erection of the container, said front flap having a scoring thereacross meeting said parallel scorings, said erected container being collapsible by folding said front and rear walls with their flaps toward said bottom wall and concomitant bending of said side walls along their said scorings, each of said side flaps having oblique scorings extending from its bottom corners to a median location of its top margin, and said erected container being closable by folding said side flaps along their said last mentioned oblique scorings and concfiomitant folding downwardly of said front and rear aps.

4. A shipping container having a bottom wall, side Walls foldably connected to the bottom wall, front and back walls foldably connected to the bottom wall; each side wall being foldably connected to the front and back Wall; closure extensions from said side walls and front and back walls; oblique scorings in each side wall extending from the bottom corners of the side wall to a terminating apex on its closure extension; each side wall closure extension having a transverse score meeting said apex and a vertical score meeting said apex; said front wall closure extension having a transverse score meeting the transverse scores of the side wall closure extensions; said container being collapsible first about the oblique and vertical scorings and then about the transverse scorings to substantially flat arrangement; each of the closure extensions of the side walls having additional oblique scorings extending from the bottom corners of the closure extensions to an apex at the top margin; the top of the container being closed by collapse of said closure extensions about said last-mentioned additional oblique scorings.

5. A shipping container having a bottom wall, side walls foldably connected to the bottom Wall, front and back walls foldably connected to the bottom wall; each side wall being foldably connected to the front and back wall; closure extensions from said side walls and front and back walls; oblique scorings in each side wall extending from the bottom corners of the side wall to a terminating apex on its closure extension; each side wall closure extension having a transverse score meeting said apex and a vertical score meeting said apex; said front wall closure extension having a transverse score meeting the transverse scores of the side wall closure extensions; said container being collapsible first about the oblique and vertical scorings and then about the transverse scorings to substantially flat arrangement; each of the closure extensions of the side walls having additional oblique scorings extending from the bottom corners of the closure extensions to an apex at the top margin; the top of the container being closed by collapse of said closure extensions about said last-mentioned additional oblique scorings; said transverse score in each side wall closure intersecting one of the additional oblique scores in the side wall Number closure. 1,924,529 2,285,786 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,445,467 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,555,581

Number Name Date 728,749 McCord May 19, 1903 Number 888,653 Potter May 26, 1908 142,286 1,478,336 Hunt Dec. 18, 1923 10 388,079 1,907,172 Arzet May 2, 1933 Name Date Wellman Aug. 29, 1933 Vera June 9, 1942 Berke July 20, 1948 Dunning June 5, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain May 6, 1920 Great Britain Feb. 23, 1933 

